Can anyone describe an event where a Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman has actually used a Pistol in Combat.
In a fire fight in a house in Fallujah, although wounded by seven 7.62×39mm rounds and hit by more than 43 pieces of hot fragmentation from a grenade while using his body to shield an injured fellow Marine, Kasal refused to quit fighting and is credited with saving the lives of several Marines during the U.S. assault on insurgent strongholds in Fallujah in November 2004. By the time he was carried out of the house by LCpl Chris Marquez and LCpl Dan Shaffer, Kasal had lost approximately 60 percent of his blood.[1] The photograph of Kasal, taken by photographer Lucian Read — blood-soaked and still holding his M9 pistol and KA-Bar fighting knife — being helped from the building by fellow Marines, has become one of the iconic pictures of the war. - Wikipedia
Looks to me like then First Seargeant Kasal was using his M9.
Sir, I spent my last seven years in the Corps as the Division Gunner for 2nd Marine Division. As a Marine Gunner, CWO5, my job was to advise the Commander on all aspects of training and employment of Infantry Weapons. Not a week would pass without a Commander or Senior NCO inquiring about the need to replace the M9. Everyone wanted a different sidearm and strongly preferred a 45 caliber. The CG asked me to do a study IOT determine a way-ahead. The findings were overwhelming: We simply could not find where numbers of Marines had used a pistol in combat nor were there any reports of a failure with the M9 in training or combat.
I’m well aware of the heroics of 1stSgt Kasal!
MARSOC plowed ahead and purchased the MEU(SOC) 45 only to now prefer the Glock. A very good friend was at the USSOCOM brief when the question of a new pistol was raised. The USSOCOM SgtMaj had anticipated the request and had commissioned a study to determine the number of times a Special Operator had used his sidearm in Combat and had their been a failure. Their study mirrored ours: In 14 years of conflict only a couple of times had the sidearm been used and zero failures of the weapons system.
The US Army is the Program Manager for Infantry Weapons, Rifles and Pistols. The US Marines are NOT asking for another weapon but if the Army changes we will most likely be part of that buy.
Here is the Bottom Line: Why are we wasting valuable resources for a new system that is rarely used with zero failures. Can we afford that?
Terry L Walker
CWO5
Marine Gunner
USMC Retired